by C. S. Lakin
“Look guys, I’m going to get off this island and head straight to my lawyer. If that lunatic really did what she says, we can have her arrested.”
Dick cut him off. “And what if she buys your lawyer, Davis. Think of that?”
Davis scowled. Impossible. Or was it? If Lila had gone this far, she’d go all the way. He’d find another lawyer. But with what money?
Davis’s heart raced. He would not let her do this. No way would he let some selfish, crazy woman destroy everything he spent his life building.
Davis searched the faces glaring down at him. “Look, I have a lot of friends. People who won’t succumb to her type of bribery. I have powerful connections with a lot of money.”
“Forget it, Gregory.” Jonathan pulled on Davis’s sleeve, forcing him to his feet. “Can the foolishness and get back to the house. Come on.”
Davis refused to budge. Jonathan clenched his lips together. “Davis, you have to come.” The others began yelling at him.
“Yeah, you broke your promise to her and we’re all paying for it,” Della said.
“You lied to her, you fix it.” Dick added.
Davis tried to press his way out of their enclosing circle, but they stood steadfast in their places.
“That’s ridiculous,” Davis screamed back. “We were all acting. It was a play, don’t you remember? Lila misunderstood.”
“Yeah, right,” Jonathan said.
Dick nodded. “Yeah, you tricked her.”
“What is it with you guys? What does it matter if I did or didn’t? I don’t remember anymore, do you? Do any of you?” Davis pushed on Jonathan, forcing his way through, but Jonathan held fast. “Don’t let her scare you. I can help you. I’ll straighten it out, you’ll see.”
“What about Cynthia?” Millie asked.
Davis grabbed Millie’s arm. “What about her?”
He searched the expressions on the encroaching faces. “Where is she? Did you do something to her?”
Millie shook her head. “She ran out ahead of us. We thought she would have caught up with you.”
Davis stopped. “Oh my God . . .” He thought Cynthia was sleeping in that warm bed. “If you guys are lying to me, I’ll kill you.”
“That’s the truth, Davis,” Millie said. “She probably went back after she couldn’t find you.”
Davis collapsed back onto the sand. A knife of pain tore through his ankle. He had to get back to check on Cynthia. Behind him, another wave exploded on the jutting rocks and the tide whipped white foam along the shoreline and raced across Davis’s shoes. Rain blew in sheets around them. Davis was drenched up to his knees. His long wool coat, saturated with water, pulled him down. Shivering, he stripped it off and let the current carry it out to sea.
Another huge wave cracked behind him. When he saw the others run up the beach, he knew he was in trouble. The force of the breaker knocked him forward. He reeled face down into the sand. The retreating water pulled at his legs. In the dim darkness, he searched the faces of his classmates as they stood yards away. Why wouldn’t anyone help him?
“Please,” he tried to say, but his voice was a scratchy whisper. “I can’t get up.”
He dragged himself a few inches toward shore, but the tide pulled him back toward the churning sea.
At the edge of the woods, a figure ran toward the beach. Davis strained to see, but another rush of water encircled him and flooded his face. Freezing water submerged his entire body. He was numb from head to foot and his hands felt like stumps. Strangely, he had stopped shivering; the cold didn’t seem to bother him anymore, but his face still burned like a hot furnace. He laughed and barely a sound came from his ice-cold lips.
He must be imagining things. There was Cynthia, in her I. Magnin’s fur-lined coat running toward him. He chuckled and lowered his face to the wet sand.
What he would give for a little sleep.
“What do you mean, I got the lead?” Lila asked her instructor. Mr. Reynolds explained that the panel of faculty and students were in unanimous agreement that she play the part of Madge in “Picnic.” She could hardly believe his words. Lila knew she had read well but never expected this. The best she’d hoped for was a walk-on, but the lead?
Lila wandered in a daze through the rest of the day. Her mind raced with fear and excitement. During her classes, she sneaked peeks at the play and studied her dialogue.
She planned to arrive early on the first day of rehearsal, but was so nervous she had to make innumerable trips to the bathroom. When she finally entered the theater, she found the entire cast already seated on the stage. She wanted to turn and flee. Her breakfast roiled up into her throat.
Davis called to her. “Up here, ‘Madge.’ “
Lila approached the stage aware of the eyes upon her. Davis tapped the seat next to him, a warm smile on his face. Lila relaxed. Millie sat to her right, having snagged the part of the younger sister.
Jonathan, the director, took charge. “Okay, people. Let’s do our first read-through. At rise . . .”
When Lila’s turn came to read, she no longer was fat Lila. Instead, a beautiful, naive young woman stood on a porch on a warm summer’s night, a night filled with a potential for romance and adventure. As she said her lines, her fear transformed into confidence. Her voice softened with renewed joy. This was where she belonged—on stage. Nothing felt so right as being immersed in a role, being someone, anyone other than Lila Carmichael.
When the first session ended, Lila could barely lift her backpack. Even through her exhaustion, the elation of the reading buoyed her. She joined Millie outside and they walked back to the dorm together.
“I was good, wasn’t I, Mil?”
“You sure were, and they all know it, too.”
That night they celebrated with an expensive dinner neither could afford. As rehearsals went on, Millie noticed the subtle condescension directed at Lila from the inner clique. Lila, so unaware, worked her heart out on the stage, oblivious to the snickers whispered behind her back, mostly from Della. Why couldn’t Della be satisfied with the role of the schoolteacher? It was a terrific, juicy part and Millie thought Della should be glad. But, oh no, Della had to be the star. Even Dick and Jonathan cracked rude jokes about Lila, and Millie agonized over their remarks, terrified that Lila might hear. Only Davis treated Lila with respect. Millie noted that, of all the group, Davis was actually kind to Lila, tackling his role with seriousness and sincerity.
One afternoon, Lila took Millie aside. “Come on, Mil, let’s have some tea. I’ve got to talk to you.”
Lila seemed nervous. Millie knew she worried incessantly about her performance, yet the rehearsals went smoothly. Sure, this was her first big role, but Lila wasn’t eating or sleeping much and her hands often shook.
“Lila,” Millie said, urging her into one of the big overstuffed lounge chairs. “You need to calm down about this show . . .”
“It isn’t the show. Oh, everything’s going great. I’m so happy.”
“Then what?”
Lila lowered her voice. “I know this is going to sound stupid . . . I can’t say it. Forget it.” She sipped her tea and stared out the window. “Look, Mil. Spring’s finally here. Look at all those flowers.”
“Lila,” Millie said, “spit it out.”
She sighed and faced Millie. “I know I’m crazy, but I—well, it’s Davis.”
Millie’s heart raced. “What about him?”
“Look, I know every girl in the school is gaga over him, but I really think, well, I really think he likes me.”
Millie drew in her breath. “Of course, he likes you. And respects you.”
“You know what I mean. I’m so close to him every day on that stage. I just feel he really cares.”
“He’s acting, Lila. He’s supposed to be attracted to you.”
“It’s different than that. Oh, am I crazy to even think such a thing?”
“Yes, forget it. You know Davis’s taste in women, let alone his track rec
ord. Besides, he and Della are still a couple.”
“Not from what I can tell. Something’s going on between Della and Jon.”
“Oh, that’s just Della’s way. Playing one against the other.”
“You should look more closely, Mil. If you’re going to be a great actress, you have to be a keen observer. Davis and Della are finished.”
Millie let out a long breath. “Lila, if I were you I wouldn’t get my hopes up. Besides, Davis is not your type.”
“I can tell he’s different than what shows everyone. He has a kind heart and maybe I’m crazy, but I can’t help it. I’m hopelessly infatuated.”
“Forget it, please, Li. You’ll only get hurt.”
Lila laughed, her face glowing. “Well, I can dream, can’t I?”
As the semester progressed, Lila spent more and more time in rehearsals. Jonathan expressed concern over getting the parts perfect, and Lila found herself scheduled with Davis for extra hours in the evening at least two or three times a week. Those were the moments she lived for. Being so close to him, feeling his arms around hers in the romantic scenes, made her heart pounded so hard she thought he could hear it. She felt eyes fixed on her. Granted, only Jonathan and a handful of actors were in the room, but Lila wished she and Davis were alone.
Knowing Millie would chide her, Lila kept her feelings to herself. Her infatuation grew and filled her with agonizing pain. She could never tell Davis how she felt; he might laugh at her. So she bore her passion in silence, hoping against hope that Davis would grow to love her too. Everything else in her life paled beside this one thought. Her grades fell. School no longer seemed important. At night, she lay in bed practicing words to say to Davis, visualizing her arms around him and his lips on hers. For a brief moment, she considered quitting the show before she went crazy. But she smothered that thought quickly, feeling herself fall, fall into love.
The night before Easter break, Millie joined Dick down at the Rainbow for drinks. She felt guilty for ignoring Lila. Dick wanted to spend all his free time with Millie, but Lila didn’t seem to mind. Soon, she and Dick would graduate and, although he intended to stay in town, Millie knew she had to apply some pressure to keep him from drifting away. He rambled on about politics and the activists in Olympia he hung out with—some of them aggressive, confident women. Millie worked hard to garner his time and attention, fearing he’d lose interest in her. At least she got him to commit to a trip to Wisconsin as soon as school ended.
As she slid into the booth beside Dick and his friends, she saw how drunk they were. It bothered her that they drank so much; her family raised her to shun the evils of alcohol. On occasion, she had a beer at Dick’s urging, but she preferred a Coke. Even one beer dulled her perceptions, making her woozy and nervous.
Dick greeted her with a sloppy kiss and filled her glass. Della, sandwiched between Davis and Jonathan, laughed and pushed at them. The club was packed with locals and students, and music blasted from the jukebox. Everyone greeted Millie and passed the pretzels to her.
“Dig in,” Dick said.
Millie took a small handful and sipped from her glass. She was watching her diet, wanting to slim down for Dick. Earlier that day, he had remarked on some woman they passed on campus, how that kind of body turned him on. And Millie’s heart sunk—the woman was practically anorexic. She tried to restrain her eating, but her anxiety increased her appetite. Only four weeks left until graduation and every minute and every calorie counted.
“I wish school would end already,” said Davis.
“Why rush it? Once you’re out, you’ll have to go into the real world,” Della said.
“I’m sick of this show,” Davis added.
“It’s just because you’re bored.”
Davis hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, maybe.”
Millie didn’t understand Davis; she thought the show was wonderful and he and Lila were fantastic in it.
“You’re too talented for a small-time school production,” Millie said. “You really should go into television.”
“Well, the big star’s made other plans,” Della said. “He feels his calling is to sell inflated pieces of land to developers who hope to fill the world with cracker-box houses.”
Davis huffed and hunkered over his glass. “At least it’s a sure thing.”
“A sure, boring thing,” Della said.
Davis turned and scowled at Della.
“So, how is it, holding fat Lila in your arms?” Dick asked.
Davis groaned. “Oh, please . . .”
Jon interrupted him, waving his hands and laughing. “Ugh, imagine having to pretend you’re smitten with Lila Carmichael.”
Della shook her head, flicking her hair into Millie’s face. “Boy, is she obvious. She’s totally hung up on you, Davis.”
“Do you have to remind me? Sometimes I think she’s going to faint in my arms and I’ll get a hernia.”
Millie lowered her heated face.
“So, why don’t you prove how talented you really are,” Della said, pouring them all another round of beer.
Davis looked at her with suspicion. “Meaning?”
“See if you can really act.”
“Yeah.” Jonathan got the point. “Make her believe you really are falling for her. Lila’ll pee her pants.”
“Oh, come on,” Davis said.
“You’re chicken, Gregory,” Jonathan added. “And I bet she’s smarter than you think. She’d never fall for it.”
Millie held her breath. The comments volleyed around the table, and in their drunken state, her classmates were building up to something awful. What could she do to stop them?
“Piece of cake,” Davis said. “She’d be easy to fool.”
Della leaned her face up against Davis’s, nose to nose. “Don’t count on it. You’d have to be one damn good actor to convince her. Her self-image is so low, she’d know you were toying with her.”
Millie’s stomach clenched. She excused herself and wiggled out from behind the tight table and Dick’s groping hands. In the bathroom, she splashed water on her face. How much of this could she take? If she defended Lila, they’d all deride her. Yet, Lila was her friend. As much as she needed Dick, she hated herself for not standing up to him. Why was she so scared to speak her mind? She had to think.
As soon as Millie left the room, Dick leaned over to Davis and lowered his voice. “I’ll bet you fifty bucks, Davis, that you won’t be able to convince Lila you’re in love with her. And I really mean convince her.”
Della smirked. “And I’ll double the bet that you’ll never be able to get her into bed.”
At that, the group went wild.
“Your talent is on the line, buddy,” said Dick.
Della added, “There’s no way you’ll get to screw Lila. She’ll be a virgin the rest of her life. I hear her Dad’s a hellfire preacher.”
“The biggest challenge of your life, Davis.” Jonathan egged him on with his wide eyes. “A golden acting opportunity.”
“I can get any girl to bed. Any girl.”
Della lit a cigarette and reached over to stroke Davis’s face. “Then prove it, loverboy.”
“By opening night,” Jonathan said. “You’ve got two weeks.”
Davis laughed, shaking his head. “That’s plenty of time. You guys don’t know the depths of my talent.”
As Millie returned to the table, Dick refilled her glass. A sheepish grin spread across his face. The others were chuckling to themselves.
“Here, Mil,” he said. “We were about to make a toast. Here’s to ‘Picnic.’ ”
“To ‘Picnic.’ ” Della added, “The most challenging production of the year.”
“Let’s give ’em a performance they’ll never forget,” said Jonathan, who then erupted into laughter. He raised his glass and Davis clinked it with his own.
Davis matched his gaze. “You’re on.”
Millie’s heart sank as she studied their expressions. She just knew they were up
to something awful.
At the end of the week, Millie mustered up enough nerve to confront Dick about the night at the Rainbow, demanding to know what they were planning.
He shrugged and told her about the bet.
“She’s my friend. It’ll break her heart.”
“It’s just a joke. It’s no big thing.”
“I’ll tell her.”
“You better not. If you say anything, you’ll blow it.” Dick raised his voice. “You better keep your mouth shut.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then I guess you’re not part of this crowd anymore.”
Millie sucked in her breath. She realized the ramifications. She had to make a choice between her friend and her lover. And she needed Dick more than Lila. School was almost over and then what? Back to Wisconsin to make cheese? Or stay in Oly and work in a store? She wanted a husband. She wanted Dick. A niggling fear crept over her. She was a week late with her period. What if she was pregnant? Dick would have to marry her. With a sinking heart, she made her choice.
“Okay, I’ll keep quiet. But it’s wrong.”
As rehearsals continued, Millie watched in paralyzing horror the progress of the group’s little scheme. Davis was beginning to convince Lila he wasn’t just playing a role. Lila wanted to believe. He smothered her with attention and Lila ate it up. Damn, why couldn’t Lila see he was manipulating her? Millie saw how he touched her and stroked her hair, making her blush. And he was good, he never pushed or flattered her. He played her like the proverbial violin.
At night, Millie had to listen to Lila ramble on about Davis’s virtues, how the impossible was really happening: Davis falling in love with her. Millie couldn’t bring herself to say a word. Lila was so happy and excited. Millie, hating herself for her cowardice, convinced herself that Lila wouldn’t believe her even if she told her the truth. Besides, she’d tried to warn her before, hadn’t she? She wasn’t Lila’s keeper. Lila was a grown woman and had to make her own mistakes. Millie tried to assure herself that, in the end, it would turn out all right. That maybe Davis would finally get bored with the game and give it up. But, deep inside, she dreaded the weeks to come.
